For 40 years, Raymond Blanc has held two Michelin stars at this beautiful country-house hotel 'and it's not surprising – every mouthful of every meal is a triumph,' say Guide insiders. Yet it's not just the food which is outstanding in this 15th-century manor house with its honey-coloured stone and lavender-lined pathways giving it a quintessentially English feel 'but with huge dollops of French style and savoir faire'. Everything about the Manoir with its cookery and gardening schools, is a personal enterprise for M. Blanc, whose inspiration for the bedrooms came from his travels. Botticelli has a spiral staircase linking bedroom and bathroom, which has two freestanding baths. Lemongrass is reminiscent of Thailand; it has a bed on a dais, dark bamboo and lime silk furnishings. 'Everything is just so.' Downstairs, in the sitting rooms, 'it feels relaxed rather than stuffy.' In the conservatory dining room, you can now order à la carte as well as an eight-course tasting menu extravaganza. Perhaps roasted Cornish lobster with mango, lime and cardamon or gnochhi with ratatouille and courgette. Much of the fresh produce comes from the kitchen gardens; there is also an expansive orchard and Japanese garden, all dotted with sculptures. 'It's expensive but so worth it.'